MATCH REPORTS

The final spot in the BBL Trophy went to an NBL side, as the Derby Trailblazers beat the Plymouth City Patriots thanks to 36 point Malcolm Smith. Led by 36 points from Malcolm Smith, the NBL Division 1 side were relentless on the offensive end. The Patriots were forced into a shootout, with Elvisi Dusha and Rashad Hassan scoring 25 points each.

However, it was a third quarter Derby run that created a 15-point margin that was too big to come back from. The Trailblazers shot an excellent 79% from three-point range. Jonas Dieterich got the first bucket for Derby before Ty Gadsden connected on a three-pointer for the Patriots. He scored nine points in the quarter, on 3/3 shooting.

Derby built up a six point lead – Ryan Bruggeman hit a triple and Malcolm Smith getting his first score inside. The match-up of the evening was Smith versus Hassan, two high quality big men that battled in the paint with size and quickness. Near the end of the first period Hassan scored on a hook shot inside. Smith responded with a turnaround jumper of his own. Derby built an 11-point lead with Raheem May-Thompson capping off five unanswered points.

Dusha cut the lead back down to six points with a three, then worked in the post, scoring a rare sky hook. The Trailblazers continued their momentum and fired back with a triple from May-Thompson to close the quarter. In the second period, the Trailblazers extended their lead to 15 before Dusha gave his team some hope; scoring on a three-pointer.

Derby shot 55% from three and 85% from the free throw line in the first half and worked the ball around the perimeter to create easy looks in the halfcourt and transition game. The teams traded baskets as Smith and Bruggeman carried the Derby offence through the period. It was MayThompson whose three-pointer gave the away team their largest lead of the game with 15 points. In the third quarter the Patriots were able to cut the lead down to six points. A 10-2 run was propelled by three pointers from Jules Dang-Akodo and Dusha.

For the visitors, Smith was unstoppable inside and the barrage of three pointers kept the defense from packing the paint. May-Thompson snapped the Patriots run with a three-pointer that steered Derby back into control. Hassan dropped his shoulder and powered to the basket, igniting the home crowd, and Dusha followed up with a triple.

Derby were able to close the period with a huge three from Dieterich with eight seconds remaining. In the fourth, Plymouth battled back into the game with Dusha’s three pointer.

However, the Trailblazers were playing with intensity and control; finding open shooters each time. Simeon Perry got on the scoreboard and Smith was dominant as he had been all game. Bruggeman’s 22 points and nine assists was capped off with a pair of free throws as Derby knocked off the BBL side in an impressive 99-89 victory. The Trailblazers will now join the Sheffield Sharks, Cheshire Phoenix and Caledonia Gladiators in the BBL Trophy semi-finals.